Clearing device for setting disks of calculating machines



4 Dec. 22, 1925. O. P. SCHUMAN CLEARING DEVICE FOR SETTING DISKS OF CALCULATING MACHINES Filed August 29, 1924 gwvmtoz ill Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

OTTO 1. SCHUMAN, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO RAPID CAL- CULATOR COMPANY. OF PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA.

CLEARING DEVICE FOR SETTING DISKS OF CALCULATING MACHINES.

Application filed August 29, 1924.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OT'ro P. SOHUMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clearing Devices for Setting Disks of Calculating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to calculating machines, and relates more particularly to clearing devices for the setting disks in the class of calculating machines where the values of the numbers to be calculated are manually positioned on setting disks having a variable number of teeth adapted to transmit the said values to a registering mechanism which is mounted on a slidable carriage adapted to be shifted laterally along and parallel to the setting mechanism. The lateral shifting movement of the slidable carriage enables the registering elements or numeral wheels which are carried thereby, to be brought into cooperation with the setting disks of the setting mechanism. The registering and revolution counting mechanisms of the carriage are provided With any suitable zero-setting devices which can be operated in any adjusted or displaced position of the carriage or adjusted position of the setting mechanism.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide new and improved means for clearing the setting mechanism in calculating ma chiues of the character described.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide means for clearing the setting disks after the same have been adjusted to any value, and the invention contemplates clearing the adjusted setting disks or returning the same to zero position by means of a partial rotation of the operating crank, the setting disks being returned simultaneously to their cleared position after the same have been previously brought into alignment through a partial rotation of the crank in the opposite direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to permit the return of the crank to normal position after the setting mechanism has been cleared, and to prevent the rotation of the crank in the manner described from registering its revolution on the revolution-counting mechanism of the machine.

Serial No. 734,990.

manually operated device serving further to effect the disengagement of the full-stroke mechanism of the machine to permit said setting disks to be alined and subsequently and simultaneously cleared in the manner described. By throwing the full-stroke mechanism temporarily out of operative engagement with the setting mechanism by devices to be described, the clearing rotation of the crank is prevented from registering its revolut-ion in the revolution counting mecha:

nism of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide clearing devices for the setting disks of calculating machines, which devices in addition to being positive and effective in operation, are composed of few parts which are economical to manufacture and which are capable of convenient attachment to calculating machines of the class and character described.

With such objects in view, as well as otheradvantages which may be incident to the use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportions and arrangement without departing from the nature and scope of the invention.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood, there are shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limiting the improvements, in their useful applications, to the particular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In said drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view, partially diagrammatic in character, of a portion of a calculating machine constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention, and illustrating only such parts of the machine as are necessary to an understanding of the mvention.

able carriage 5 is provided with the usual shaft 6 carrying the registering numeral wheels which latter receive the values of the calculation from the adjusted setting Wheels through suitable intermediate gearing devices when the operating crank is rotated. The setting wheels and the registering numeral wheels, the latter carried by the carriage 5., and the intermediate gearing connecting the same may be of usual or preferred construction, and as the same do not constitute a part of the present invention, these elements have not been illustrated. It will be sufiicient to state that the registering wheels are loosely mounted on the longitudinal shaft 6 and the latter is provided with a suitable number of pins, one for each wheel, which are designed to contact with suitable projections on the wheels and thereby rotate the latter when the shaft 6 is retated, As is well known in the art, the pins on the shaft 6 are arranged to contact with and rotate the registering numeral wheels in such manner that a single rotation of the Zero shaft 6 will bring all of the registering wheels into alignment at zero, and this is the usual practice prior to each calculating operation, the shaft 6 being designed to be manually rotated by means of the crank handles 7, one preferably secured to each end of the shaft 6 on the outside of the frame of the carriage 5.

The shaft 2 carrying the setting wheels and disks 3, is designed to be rotated in the usual manner in the performance of the calculating operations, by means of the crank handle 8 secured to a longitudinal shaft 9 journaled in the machine frame 1, the shaft 9 carrying on its inner end a suitable gear wheel meshing with and adapted to rotate a similar gear wheel on the setting mechanism shaft 2. The crank handle 8 is provided with the usual spring-pressed operating knob 10 adapted to yieldably engage a lug 13 of the handle with a recess 14 in the frame at each rotation of the crank handle, and to yieldably lock the same in normal position, as is usual practice in machines of this character.

In the operation of the machine the setting disks 3 controlling the setting wheels of the shaft 2, are manually adjusted to their desired position, the carriage 5 is longitudinally shifted to the desired position and the possible damage to the machine during operati'on thereof, it is usual practice in machines of this character to provide locking devices, termed full-stroke devices, for locking the main operating crank 8 against reverse movement after the same has been partially rotated in either direction, the looking devices being such that it is necessary to perform a complete rotation of the crank handle with constant registering of each revolution on the registering wheels of the machine, before the crank handle can be ru tated in the reverse direction.

It will therefore be apparent that during normal operation of the machine and after the setting disks have been adjusted to set up desired values on the setting wheels, the effect of the full-stroke mechanism or device described renders it necessary to perform at least one complete revolution of the operating crank 8 before the disks controlling the setting mechanism can be cleared or returned to their zero position.

In order to enable the disks controlling the setting mechanism to be cleared or returned to zero position at any time during the operation of the machine, the present invention contemplates means for throwing out of engagement the full-stroke devices described, together with simultaneously operated means for permitting the alignment of the setting disks in order that the same may be simultaneously rotated to zero or normal position through the manipulation of the crank handle 8. The mechanism for effecting this clearing operation of the setting disks and to prevent the same from making a complete revolution with consequent registry in the revolution-colinting mechanism of the machine. will now be descr bed.

The full-stroke mechanism which necessitates a complete revolution of the crank handle and shaft 2 and which prevents reverse movement of these elements in either direction after a calculation has been coinmenced, comprises a ratchet wheel 15 rigidly mounted on the shaft 2 and preferably at or near one end of the latter. A pawl or dog 16 is pivotally mounted as at 17 in the machine frame and is normally free to swing or oscillate in either direction within limits defined by stops or lugs 18 carried on the frame on either side of said pawl. The ratchet disk 15 is provided with a suitable cut-out portion 19 so arranged as to slightly clear the pawl 16 and permit the latter to depend freely from its pivot 17 and radialltltl ill) ly of the shaft 2 when the crank handle 8 is in normal inoperative position with the lug 13 of the latter in spring'pressed engagement with the recess 14 of the frame.

lVhen the crank handle is rotated in either direction during the performance of 21 calculation, the pawl 16 is moved into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 15 on either side of the cut-out portion 19 according to the direction in which the crank handle is rotated. The engagement described of the pawl 16 with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, operates to effectually prevent reverse movement of the operating crank until after a complete revolution of the latter, which brings the cut-out portion 19 once more beneath the pawl, and the crank is again free to be rotated in either direction.

The devices for throwing the locking mechanism described out of operation when desired to permit free rotation of the crank handle and shaft 2, comprises a longitudinally shift-able notched bar or member 20 which is secured to the frame of the machine by means of screws or pins 21 passing through suitable elongated slots or apertures 22 in the bar 20. The bar 20 may be conveniently shifted longitudinally of the machine frame by means of an upstanding lug or handle portion 23 at one end thereof and the bar is provided along a portion of one edge with a plurality of spaced notches or indentations 24: corresponding in number and position to the slots 25 in the frame through which the tabs or handles 4 of the setting disks are adapted to project. The bar 20 is further provided near one end with a cam notch 26 preferably of a sloping or angular character. The frame of the machine opposite the cam notch 26 is preferably apertured as at 27 to permit the projection therethrough of a portion of a rocking lever 28 pivoted at 29 to the frame of the machine. the upper end of which lever is adapted to contact with a pin or projection 30 on the locking pawl 16 heretofore described. The rocking lever 28 tends normally to project through the recess 27 in the frame through the tension of a coilcd spring 31 secured at one end to the lower arm of the said lever and secured at its other end as at 32 to the frame.

During normal operation of the machine the bar 20 is positioned so that the notches 2 1- are in alignment with the apertures 25 in the frame to permit the rotation of the setting mechanism including the handles 4 of the setting disks, which latter clear the bar 20 by reason of the aligned position of the notches therein with the apertures 25. In this position the rocking lever 28 is forced outwardly by the tension of the spring 31 into the lowermost portion of the cam notch 26, thereby permitting the pawl 16 to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 15 to prevent rotation of the crank handle 8 in a reverse direction after a calculation has been partially completed. The normal position described of the bar 20 is illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to clear the disks of the setting mechanism at any time during the operation of the machine, the bar 20 is shifted to the left in the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1. brings the raised portions or projections 33 of the bar 20 into alignment with the apertures 25 in position to obstruct the subsequent passage of the tabs or handles l of the setting disks. At the same time this shifting movement of the bar 20 to the left causes the lever 28 to be rocked rearwardly by the inclined surface of the cam notch 26. and the upper portion of the lever 28 contacts with the pin or projection 30 on the pawl 16 and moves the latter out of engage ment with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 15 thereby rendering inoperative the full stroke mechanism and permitting free rotation of the shaft 2 in either direction. The crank handle 8 is now free to be partially rotated in a reversedirection to bring the variously adjusted tabs or handles 4 successively into alignment against the projections of the bar 20. The crank handle 8 is next par tially rotated in a forward direction with the result that the tabs or handles 4c are simultaneously rotated into their normal or Zero position at the upper extremities of the slots 25. When the bar 20 is again shifted to the right to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the full-strol e mechanism automatically re-engages when the lever 28 is rocked by the spring 31 out of engagement with the projection 30 of the pawl 16 and the notches 24 of the bar 20 are once more in alignment with the apertures 25 to permit the free rotation of the setting mechanism during the operation of the machine.

If desired the spring 31 may lJB of sufficient tension to automatically return the bar 20 to its normal position illustrated in dotted lines, said movement being effected by the pressure of the locking lever 28 against the inclined surface of the cam notch 26 and assisted by the inclined position of the slots 22 tending to move the. bar 20 inwardly to facilitate this automatic movement.

What I claim is:

1. In a calculating machine in combination with a setting mechanism and a fullstroke mechanism: means normally permitting free travel of the setting disks and adapted to be moved into the path of travel of said disks to cause the same to be brought into alignment when the setting mechanism is rotated, said movement of said means into the path of the setting disks auto- This movement matically operating to disengage the fullstroke mechanism of the machine to permit said setting disks to be returned to zero position by reverse movement of the operating crank of the machine.

2. In a calculating machine in combination with a setting mechanism and a full stroke mechanism: means normally permitting free travel oi the setting disks and adapted to be moved into the path of travel of said disks to cause the same to be brought into alignment when the setting mechanism is rotated, said movement of said means into the path of the setting disks automatically operating to disengage the iull-stroke mechanism of the machine to permit said setting disks to be returned to zero position by reverse movement of the operating crank.

3. In a calculating machine in combination with a setting mechanism and a full stroke mechanism: means normally out of the path of the setting disks and adapted to be moved into the path of said disks prep'aratory to clearing the latter, said movement of said means operating to disengage said full stroke mechanism during the clearing operation of said setting disks.

4. In a calculating machine in combination with setting disks and afull-stroke mechanism: an operating crank, a slidable bar normally permitting free travel of the setting disks and having project-ions adapted to be moved into the path of travel of said disks to cause the same to be brought into alignment when the setting mechanism is rotated, and a rocking lever adapted to be rocked by said bar into engagement with said full-stroke mechanism to disengage the latter and permit said setting disks to be simultaneously moved to cleared position by a reverse movement of said crank after said disks have been aligned against the projections on said slidable bar by a forward n'iovement of said crank.

5. In a calculating machine in combination with setting disks and an operating cranl': slidable means normally permitting free travel of the setting disks and adapted to be moved into the path of travel of said disks to cause the same to be brought into alignment when the setting disks are retated, and means actuated by said slidable means to permit said aligned disks to be simultaneously moved to cleared position by a reverse movement of said operating crank.

6. In a calculating machine in combination with setting mechanism and a fullstroke mechanism and a crank handle for actuating said setting mechanism: slidable means normally permitting free travel of the disks of said setting mechanism when said crank is rotated, said slidable means being adapted to be moved into the path of travel of said setting disks to permit the same to be brought into alignment, and means actuated by the movement of said slidable means to disengage the full-stroke mechanism of the machine to permit said aligned disks to be moved to cleared position by a reverse movement of said operating crank, and means automatically permitting the re-engagement of said full-stroke mechanism after the setting disks have been cleared.

7. In a calculating machine in combination with a setting mechanism and a fullstroke mechanism and a crank handle for actuating said setting mechanism: a slidable bar normally permitting free travel of the disks of said setting mechanism when said crank is rotated, said bar having projections and a cam notch, said projections being adapted to be manually moved with said bar into the path' of trav l of said setting disks to permit their operative tabs and said disks to be brought into alignment against said projections by a forward movement of said crank, a rocking lever normally engaging said cam notch and adapted to be moved inwardly along said cam notch when said bar is longitudinally moved, to disengage said full-stroke mechanism and permit said aligned disks to be moved to cleared position by a reverse movement of said operating crank, and spring'tension means for moving said rocking lever out of engagement with said full-stroke mechanism to permit the automatic re-cngagement of the latter after said aligned setting disks have been simultaneously cleared.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

OTTO P. SGHUMAN. 

